Pecan Raisin Bread

By Maverick19

This is a basic, yeasted white bread recipe, then adding the pecans and raisins. It yields TWO LOAVES.....ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 pkgs active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 6-7 cups unbleached flour
• 2 cups pecans (whole or chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat after butter has melted. Set aside to cool.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a large bowl. Slowly pour yeast into bowl, stirring the entire time, to prevent the yeast from clumping. Set aside for 5 minutes while working on the next two steps.

3. In a mixing bowl, add sugar, salt and 1 cup warm water. Mix well.

4. Check the saucepan of milk and butter. If the contents are warm to the touch, pour it into the mixing bowl and mix.

5. Pour the yeast water into the mixing bowl. It is very important that the batter is warm, NOT boiling hot. Very hot liquid (the milk) will kill the dry yeast and prevent the bread from rising.

6. Begin mixing in the unbleached flour, 1 cup at a time. By the fifth cup of flour, the dough will begin to get stiff and difficult to mix with a wooden spoon. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough. Continue adding flour, while kneading it into the dough, until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

7. Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or olive oil. Put the bread dough into the bowl and then turn it over so the top part is now greased. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.

8. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Creat a small "bowl" in the middle of the dough and place the pecans and raisins "in" the bowl of dough. Knead the dough to get the air bubbles out and to mix the pecans and raisins into the dough. About 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half and shape it into two loaves.

9. Butter two loaf pans. Set the loaves into the pans and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rise again, 30 minutes, at room temperature.

10. at 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

11. Bake bread for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack. Slice after bread has cooled.